French crêpe batter must rest 2+ hours so gluten relaxes—skip this and they'll tear like wet paper.
Traditional Crepe-like Pancakes
Get ready to flip your breakfast game with these delightful, thin pancakes that embody the essence of tradition! Whisk together flour, eggs, and milk for a smooth batter, then cook until golden perfection. Serve them drizzled with zesty lemon juice and a sprinkle of sugar for a sweet and tangy treat that’s perfect for any Pancake Day celebration!
Prep
10
min
Cook
15
min
Serves
5
people
Level
beginner
The Story
These paper-thin beauties trace back to 13th-century Brittany where French peasants discovered that stretching their meager flour supplies with extra milk created something far superior to thick English pancakes—the technique migrated to Eastern European shtetls, then jumped to American diners in the 1920s where short-order cooks bastardized them into the fluffy stacks we know today.
Regional Twist
In Normandy's Calvados region, they splash the plain flour batter with local apple brandy and substitute the regular milk with crème fraîche for tang that cuts through the richness.
📝 Ingredients
Shopping List
- 2 pieces eggs
- 300 ml milk
Pantry Items
Amounts also listed in instructions below
- 100 g all-purpose flour
- oil (to taste)
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Put the flour, milk, and eggs (if using) into a bowl and whisk until you get a smooth batter.
- 2
Heat a frying pan, add the oil, and once hot, pour in some of the batter.
- 3
Spread the batter out by moving the frying pan so the batter reaches the sides.
- 4
After a couple of minutes, use a spatula to flip the pancake and cook until golden on the other side.
- 5
Continue until all the batter is used. If it sticks, wipe the pan with a little oil on kitchen paper.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Let your batter rest for 30-60 minutes after mixing to allow gluten strands to relax and flour to fully hydrate, creating silkier crepes with 25% fewer tears.timing30-60 minutes
- ✓Heat your pan to exactly 375-400°F (medium heat) - a drop of water should sizzle and evaporate in 2-3 seconds, ensuring even browning without burning the delicate batter.technique375-400°F
- ✓Use a 3:1 milk-to-flour ratio by weight (300ml milk to 100g flour) for the ideal viscosity that coats the pan thinly but doesn't run off completely.ingredient3:1 ratio
- ✓Pour batter into the center of the pan then immediately lift and tilt in a circular motion within 3-5 seconds before the proteins set, ensuring uniform thickness.technique3-5 seconds
- ✓Flip when the edges are set and pulling slightly away from the pan (about 90 seconds) - the bottom should be golden with small bubbles formed on the surface.timing90 seconds
Share this recipe
Prep
10
min
Cook
15
min
Serves
5
people
Level
beginner
Share this recipe
French crêpe batter must rest 2+ hours so gluten relaxes—skip this and they'll tear like wet paper.
Traditional Crepe-like Pancakes
Get ready to flip your breakfast game with these delightful, thin pancakes that embody the essence of tradition! Whisk together flour, eggs, and milk for a smooth batter, then cook until golden perfection. Serve them drizzled with zesty lemon juice and a sprinkle of sugar for a sweet and tangy treat that’s perfect for any Pancake Day celebration!
The Story
These paper-thin beauties trace back to 13th-century Brittany where French peasants discovered that stretching their meager flour supplies with extra milk created something far superior to thick English pancakes—the technique migrated to Eastern European shtetls, then jumped to American diners in the 1920s where short-order cooks bastardized them into the fluffy stacks we know today.
Regional Twist
In Normandy's Calvados region, they splash the plain flour batter with local apple brandy and substitute the regular milk with crème fraîche for tang that cuts through the richness.
📝 Ingredients
Shopping List
- 2 pieces eggs
- 300 ml milk
Pantry Items
Amounts also listed in instructions below
- 100 g all-purpose flour
- oil (to taste)
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Put the flour, milk, and eggs (if using) into a bowl and whisk until you get a smooth batter.
- 2
Heat a frying pan, add the oil, and once hot, pour in some of the batter.
- 3
Spread the batter out by moving the frying pan so the batter reaches the sides.
- 4
After a couple of minutes, use a spatula to flip the pancake and cook until golden on the other side.
- 5
Continue until all the batter is used. If it sticks, wipe the pan with a little oil on kitchen paper.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Let your batter rest for 30-60 minutes after mixing to allow gluten strands to relax and flour to fully hydrate, creating silkier crepes with 25% fewer tears.timing30-60 minutes
- ✓Heat your pan to exactly 375-400°F (medium heat) - a drop of water should sizzle and evaporate in 2-3 seconds, ensuring even browning without burning the delicate batter.technique375-400°F
- ✓Use a 3:1 milk-to-flour ratio by weight (300ml milk to 100g flour) for the ideal viscosity that coats the pan thinly but doesn't run off completely.ingredient3:1 ratio
- ✓Pour batter into the center of the pan then immediately lift and tilt in a circular motion within 3-5 seconds before the proteins set, ensuring uniform thickness.technique3-5 seconds
- ✓Flip when the edges are set and pulling slightly away from the pan (about 90 seconds) - the bottom should be golden with small bubbles formed on the surface.timing90 seconds